Dingeman Elementary (858-549-4437)

  • "After School Reading Boosters"

    • Karin Wilson, First Grade Teacher

    A grant of $1,000 provided the means to purchase 360 Emergent/Early level paperback books from Celebration Press.

    This was a program of literacy instruction for parents of children at risk of not meeting the district's expectations on the Developmental Reading Assessment scores. Students took home reading materials at their specific reading level. Parents were involved in reinforcing the reading strategies during home reading. The importance of this project highlighted the need for the district to provide additional reading support for the first grade, which they did through the Extended Day Reading Program.

Hilltop Drive Elementary School (619-422-8323)

  • "Project Read - Read, Enjoy and Do"

    • Jenine Whittecar, Kindergarten Teacher

    A grant of $536.00 purchased the following:

    • Ten non-fiction books
    • Ten fiction books, five puppets
    • Two puzzles
    • Eight learning tools and manipulatives to accompany books
    • Ten journals
    • Three theme related games.

    Family involvement and early literacy were the primary goals of the project. This reading program was designed to involve parents and their children in shared after school reading. Students took home backpacks filled with books and learning aids that related to the theme taught in the class. Together, with their parents, they read and wrote in journals.

John Marshall Elementary School (619-283-5924)

  • "Improving the Home/School Literacy Connection"

    • Deborah Higdon, Kindergarten Teacher

    A grant of $1,000 provided the following items:

    • 120 take-home bags
    • Library book pockets
    • Five sets of Little Books from Zaner-Bloser company
    • 25 Little Books from Troll Books Company
    • Four sets of non-fiction Little Books from Sundance Company
    • Little Celebrations Books from Pearson Learning Company
    • Rosen Real Readers
    • Material from the Capstone Curriculum Company.

    In this literacy project for emergent English language learners, their child's teacher instructed parents in the skills and strategies of successful reading techniques. The students chose books from newly purchased leveled readers, practiced reading them in school, and took them home daily for rereading and parental reinforcement.

Loma Portal Elementary School (619-223-1683)

  • "Project Read at Home"

    • Marcia Berneger, Second Grade Teacher

    A grant of $780.00 provided backpacks, stuffed animals, notebooks and books for 20 students.

    This home reading program addressed the needs of a culturally diverse population of second grade students who either 1) had no books to read at home, 2) had no one to read to, or 3) had no incentive to read at home. Each week the student took home a backpack filled with literature and a stuffed animal, and the students read to their stuffed animal. This project was aimed at creating a joyful reading environment at home, thus enhancing the student's reading experience and abilities.

Nye Elementary (619-527-4901)

  • "Literacy Take-Home Backpacks"

    • Bridget Sullivan, Kindergarten Teacher

    A grant of $550.00 purchased 32 emergent texts, 32 backpacks, manipulatives, write and wipe cards, and crayons for 20 students in addition to a storage rack and homework chart with stickers.

    By taking home backpacks filled with learning activities and books, kindergarten students participated with their parents in shared reading and home journal writing exercises designed to strengthen emergent language skills. The focus of this project was not only to reinforce class reading, but also to involve parents with their children's learning activities. Ms. Sullivan reports that she had the highest percentage of parental participation in her seven years of teaching.

Ocean Beach Elementary School (619-223-1631)

  • "Literacy Bags"

    • Jasmine Greene, Kindergarten Teacher

    A grant of $1,000 provided 20 literacy bags and an Alphabet Circle Time rug. The bags contained books, puppets, and interactive objects from the book, activity cards, writing journals, drawing paper, crayons, markers and pencils.

    This literacy program was designed so that students could take home award-winning books, puppets, and story activities in kits to be shared with their parents. The "Circle Time" rug supported story discussion by the students. Ms. Greene observed that all of her students demonstrated growth in reading comprehension and oral language. She also reported that the home/school learning connection had greatly improved.

Rosebank Elementary School (619-422-8329)

  • "First Steps - A Preschool to Kindergarten Transition"

    • Kathleen Orr, Kindergarten Teacher

    A grant of $675.00 100 paperback books, tapes and tape player, materials for bread baking, seed, soil, cups, bubbles, art materials, gingerbread mixes, invitations, certificates, and copy costs.

    Preschool and kindergarten teachers organized a Saturday event whereby incoming kindergarten students and their parents participated in group read-alouds, sing-alongs, and hands-on activities with the objective of easing the child into the transition from preschool to kindergarten.